Poll: Nearly half of all Americans support restricting rights of Muslim-Americans

WLBT ^ | December 17, 2004 | AP

[yonif]

ITHACA, N.Y. A nationwide poll finds nearly half of all Americans believe the U-S government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim Americans.

The survey -- conducted this fall by Cornell University -- found that 44 percent favored at least some restrictions, while 48 percent said civil liberties shouldn't be restricted in any way.

Twenty-seven percent of the 715 respondents supported requiring all Muslim-Americans to register where they lived -- and 29 percent thought agents should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer groups.

The poll also found Republicans and people who described themselves as highly religious were more likely to support curtailing Muslims' civil liberties than Democrats or people who are less religious.

The executive director of the Muslim American Society says the news is disturbing, but not surprising.

[texasbluebell]

It does not make me feel the least bit better that 10% of 1.3 billion people are jihadis in this world...

[broadsword]

if but most Mulsims are not terrorists, then why should they subject themselves to violations of the liberties that they are free to enjoy in the West

Because even if they are not curently terrorists, their bloodthirsty death-cult demands that that they become terrorists and liars until the last civilization on earth is crushed under the heels of sharia law and those liberties are wiped off the face of the earth.

Until you come to understand this problem, and stop appeasing and abeting the sworn enemies of America and of freedom everywhere YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM, so-called-honest2God.

[BobL]

I would also agree that the 10% doesn't apply in the United States today - but that doesn't mean it won't in 10 years.

That's exactly what happened in France. They had a peaceful Muslim society for decades, well integrated into French culture (for what it's worth - couldn't help that one). And now, the next generation, the children born in France, have pulled away and gone fundamental, big time - that's why they needed the head-scarf ban.

And that's what scares the daylights out me. I don't know of any other minority group that's done that. Certainly Mexicans haven't done that here.

[broadsword]

I am fast coming to distrust and feel very uneasy about this honest2Allah noob.

[texasbluebell]

And as far as immigration --- we definitely have the right to limit who and what comes into this country --

Bump! Where did anyone get the idea that we have no right to decide who should immigrate here? This is so absurd. I don't have the figures, but I'll bet there is almost no other country in the world that has such few limits on immigrants as we do today.

[monkeywrench]

"subject themselves to violations of the liberties that they are free to enjoy in the West in order to weed out the minority? I mean, how would you pitch that to them?"

I'd tell them that freedom isn't free. Good men have died throughout our history so we could enjoy the freedom we have today. They need to do their part.

[muawiyah]

Not all sermons in the US are in English, but almost all the Moslems in the US have only English as a common tongue. The folks who lead the prayer use Arabic, of course, but the folks who give the sermons "draw on other sources" as they say, just like all other people who have ever been called upon to give a sermon.

Among immigrant families, you will find that English is the language of youth, and therefore the message at the mosque, if it is to be heard, must be delivered in English (as well as any other language necessary ~ around here that's half a dozen languages).

[GSlob]

Why "no thanks"? With the due process for restricting, of course. As far as Mormons are concerned, there was a serious state pressure on them (there were posts on FR detailing and quoting court decisions) which forced them to abandon previous Mormon practice of polygamy. So, there is a precedent for state pressure changing religious customs and practices. And the pressure has to be restriction of rights or a threat of such restriction.

[honest2God]

First of all, he's the editor of a local newspaper. Not to disparage him, but on what authority does he speak about global conflict. Second, I am not suggesting that Muslims have not caused a significant amount of violence, I'm just saying that globally, they are not the cause of MOST violence. And yes, I named several ongoing world conflicts in which Muslims were not involved (and just because Muslims are involved, does not necessarily mean it is their fault, just to be fair-although, also to be fair, they did start many if not most of them). I'll list those conflicts again, although this is not necessarily a full list: Colombia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Sri Lanka, Cote d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Haiti, and Liberia. So, Mr. Lucas should do his homework. Look, the terrorists are trying to incite a holy war, WHY FALL INTO THEIR HANDS? FINGHT THE TERRORISTS, NOT EACH OTHER!

[texasbluebell]

You've got mail.

[muawiyah]

India ~ they have many beau-coup Moslems ~ certainly as much as 15% of the population.

Any Moslem who disagrees that life is beautiful in India is, of course, under a permanent invitation to leave the country.

The Hindus have been known to kill Moslems who disturbed the Hindu tranquility, or as a warning to others, or for no reason at all.

[broadsword]

...Christian Mongols...

LOL! WHAT? Mongols are 94% Buddhist (via Tibet) and 4% Muslim and less than one half of one percent Christian. One of the most infamous Mongol rulers was Muslim, but the population is Buddhist.

Try that garbage with a less educated crowd, sir.

[papertyger]

Your intellectual dishonesty is reprehensible. Your two countries example is flagrantly disingenuous.

Indonesia has suffered violence, as you admit, but success of overthrowing the government is a cynical rewrite of the question as originally posed to you.
Furthermore, Turkey's secular government was instituted by Kamal Ataturk with the express purpose of getting Islamic influence out of government. And by using draconian, though apparently necessary, measures I might add.

You may be honest2God, but He's probably the only one you're honest to.

[Recall]

A nationwide poll finds nearly half of all Americans believe the U-S government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim Americans.

---

Half of Americans who took their stupid poll. It would go up if more had take the poll.

[muawiyah]

Hey, the Moslems in France were NEVER assimilated. There was a period after the Algerian war where the French aggressively suppressed Moslems in Metropolitan France, but those days are gone and everybody has forgotten just exactly what it was about Islamofascism that distressed even the french.

[broadsword]

(Still LMAO!)

Try these on for size, mu:

Under the Jewish Mongols...
Under the Shinto Mongols...
Under the Athenian Mongols...
Under the Wiccan Mongols...
Under the Druid Mongols...
Under the American Indian Animist Mongols...

ROTF!

[nightdriver]

According to the ruling of the New York State Supreme Court in 1892, moslems have no rights in America, anyway - at least not First Ammendment-type rights.

Of course, Americans were a lot more spiritually aware in 1892 than they are today.

[honest2God]

"That's exactly what happened in France. They had a peaceful Muslim society for decades, well integrated into French culture (for what it's worth - couldn't help that one). "

Haha, yeah, go figure.

"And now, the next generation, the children born in France, have pulled away and gone fundamental, big time - that's why they needed the head-scarf ban."

Yup, that's what worries me too. But IMO, curtailing civil liberities not only flies in the face of American values, but it may only serve as an excuse for increased fundamentalism. We must win hearts and minds to win this war!

[Recall]

Do letters count? I fired off a couple email when the towers went down.

[papertyger]

I guess I'll have to find the smiley for "tongue-in-cheek."